News / EU according to Sikorski [4]

PAP on Sunday reported Foreign Min. Radosław Sikorski attending a World Policy Conference in Cannes. Speaking of the EU's future, he said: 'In my view, the desirable goal would be a political union comprising member states but without any illusions of creating a single European super-state.' He also proposed concrete efforts to jointly protect the EU’s external borders as well as the need to emphasise the EU’s successes such as its anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.

What is your take on the EU's future and why?
1. Should it become a super-state ruled by a Brussels-based super-structure?
2. Should it be a federation of sovereign homelands?
3. Should it be disbanded altogether?

News / PiS wants symmetry for minorites living in Poland [71]

FYI over the weekend PiS leader Kaczyński said there must be symmetry in the treatment of nationol minorities between Poland and her neighbours. Specifically he indicated that Poland was bending over backwards to accommodate the German minority who automatically get Sejm slots and have bilingual signs (names of localities in Polish and German) where they live. The same holds true for Lithuanian Poles in the Puńsk-Sejny areas. Meanwhile, Poles face ethnic discrimination in Lithuania. In Germany they haev no representation in the Bundestag and divorced Polish parents are banned from speaking Polish to their kids.

UK, Ireland / Poles 2nd to Indians in UK [23]

According to a census study, Poles are now second only to Indians as the major immigrant communtiy in the UK.

thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/121253,Census-confirms-Poles-as-UKs-second-biggest-foreign-community

I wonder if anyone on PF would feel competent to compare the impact the post-WW2 DP generation and the current Polish crop have made on life in the UK. (Not a doctoral disseration but maybe a few concise comaprisons?)

To what a extent are today's Polish newcomers assimilating to British cultural and social norms, customs and values?

Have the Polish influenced native Brits and their lifestlyes in any way?

Among the average Brit does the sound of Polish spoken on the streets evoke:
curiosity, interest, indifference or resentment?

In your view, do the majority plan to make a life for themselves in the UK or only want to earn a nest egg before returning home or moving elsehwere?

History / Lefties honour Narutowicz [5]

The SLD and Palikot movement held a rally outside Warsaw’s Zachęta Gallery, where Poland’s first president Gabriel Narutowicz was assassinated 90 years ago. SLD leader Leszek Miller told the rally: “The SLD will do everything to stop the march of the brown (shirted) right wing. We cannot allow Poland to turn brown. It is white and red as well as blue with gold stars.” Palikot delivered his 7-point programme to combat hate speech. The event was attended by Presidential adviser Tomasz Nałęcz and mainly leftist-liberal politicians and celebrities. Narutowicz was shot dead by “endek” (nationalist) Eligiusz Niewiadomski who espoused a “Poland for Poles’ philosophy and resented the fact that the president had been elected thanks to Jewish and Ukrainian votes in the general assembly.

A day before the leftist Zachęta rally rightists from the All-Poland Youth and the Radical National Camp marched through the streets of £ódź under the slogan “Anti-commies are coming”, the media reported over the weekend. They included a chant well-known in the early Solidarity period: “Instead of leaves, commies will hang from the trees!” Police estimated the crowd at 500, the organisers gave figures several times higher.

Love / New Year's Eve in Poland for singles? [2]

Wprost.pl has reported that travel bureaux are experiencing growing interest in New Year's Eve excursions for singles rather than couples. Over the past two years, they have noted a 70% increase in customers interested in going it alone. One female single identified only as Kasia explained why she had again chosen that option: "I had had my fill of conversations about children, nappies, spouses, in-laws and planned or unplanned pregnancies... Besides, at couples events when I dance with someone I often feel the glare of a jealous wife or fiancée."

How widespread is this tendency in other countries you know?

Life / Where have all the carollers in Poland gone? [9]

Is it your impression that youngsters going house to house or flat to flat carolling in urban blocks was more common in Poland a number years ago? The strange thing is that kasa (cash) seems to be uppermost in most Poles' minds these days, and that would be a good way to earn a little extra pocket change. You'd think Biedronka, Lidl and Tesco would be selling carolling costumes (King Herrod, death, devil, etc.), pole-mounted carolling stars, portable creches, etc. for house to house carollers. Instead they are loaded with Halloween junk. And stuff for Valentine's day too although that is a spending occasion with no cash returns for the avergahe participant.